There have been numerous techniques for stunning of animals prior to slaughter. The techniques currently in use, however, have a number of deficiencies. In particular, such techniques have one or more of the following drawbacks:
(1.1) The animals may have to be stationary during the stunning process. This means that each animal has to be effectively confined and that continuous conveyance is not possible. Thus, the number of animals stunned may be lower than desired. PA1 (1.2) The animals may have to be in a relatively precise position for effective stunning to be performed. Accordingly, a reduced number of animals may be effectively stunned because of the time spent assuring that each animal is properly positioned. PA1 (1.3) Some existing stunning systems are expensive and electrically/mechanically sophisticated and thus, subject to malfunctions due to the utilization of stunning electrodes that must be capable of moving with an animal throughout the stunning process. PA1 (2.1) Allows the stunning of animals while they are being conveyed to the killing floor. PA1 (2.2) Does not require the animal to be precisely positioned for effective stunning to occur. PA1 (2.3) Does not require sophisticated mechanical and/or electronic devices having pairs of current-completing stunning electrodes that must move with the animal throughout the stunning process.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an animal stunning system that alleviated the difficulties described hereinabove. In particular, it would be desirable to have a stunning system that: